KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel and American swimming sensation Missy Franklin were named Laureus Sportsman and Woman of the Year on Wednesday in a ceremony filled with tributes to those affected by the missing Malaysian Airlines plane. Nearly all of the seven winners at the lavish awards ceremony in Kuala Lumpur remarked on flight MH370, which went missing 18 days ago with 239 passengers and crew on board after leaving Kuala Lumpur...

* "Means a lot to Aurora" * "I am so proud of her" By Keith Coffman DENVER, Aug 1 (Reuters) - For a state that has seen a deadly movie theater shooting and devastating wildfires this summer, the performance of Colorado resident and Olympic gold-medal swimmer Missy Franklin has been one bright spot - in and out of the pool. The 17-year-old Franklin, who has entered seven events in London, said it was "heartbreaking" to learn of the theater ...

By Ian Ransom MELBOURNE, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Australia's three-gold performance at the world championships has raised hopes the former swimming power can re-capture its glory days after a dismal year marked by Olympic failure and a number of controversies out of the pool. Australia finished fourth in the final standings in Spain behind the United States, China and France, but their total of 13 medals was beaten only by the Americans and they boasted an encouraging 10...

The Sports Xchange Olympic swimming star Missy Franklin reportedly commits to Cal-Berkeley One of the most sought after swimming stars will soon be reunited with her Olympics coach. According to various media reports Saturday night, Olympic swimmer Missy Franklin has made a verbal commitment to attend the University of California at Berkeley. She would re-join Cal coach Teri McKeever, who led the U.S. women's swim team in the London Olympics this...

BARCELONA (Reuters) - The final day of the world swimming championships belonged to Missy Franklin as the American teenager became the first woman to win six golds at a single edition thanks to the U.S. triumph in the medley relay on Sunday. In a frenetic session at Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi, there was high drama when the U.S. men were disqualified from their medley relay after finishing well ahead of France, while China's Sun Yang won a second consecutive gold in the men's...

Last week, Kevin Cordes had described his sub-par performances in the individual breaststroke events at his first long-course World Championships as something to learn from. Sunday in Barcelona, he got a particularly harsh lesson. The 19-year-old from Naperville cost the United States a gold medal in the 4 x 100-meter medley relay by taking off too early on his breaststroke leg. How much too early? One-hundredth of a second. The U.S. team of Matt Grevers...

LONDON, July 30 (Reuters) - Missy Franklin of the United States won the women's 100 metres backstroke gold medal at the London Olympic Games on Monday. Australia's Emily Seebohm won silver while Aya Terakawa won bronze. (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

BARCELONA (Reuters) - American teenager Missy Franklin captured a record-equaling fifth gold medal at a single world championships when she won a second consecutive 200 meters backstroke title in Barcelona on Saturday. The bubbly 18-year-old, who can claim the record for herself if favorites United States win Sunday's 4x100 medley relay, clocked a championship record time of two minutes 04.76 seconds, with Australia's Belinda Hocking taking silver in 2:06.66 and Hilary Caldwell of...

BARCELONA, Aug 4 (Reuters) - American Missy Franklin can set a record of six golds for the most won at a world championships by a woman in a single edition when she races for favourites the United States in the 4x100 metres medley relay on Sunday. The last of eight days of racing at the Palau Sant Jordi will also be a chance for Sun Yang of China to match Franklin's compatriot Katie Ledecky in winning a rare treble of distance freestyle titles when the Olympic champion and...